The plants belonging to the genus Delphinium, that is to say, the Larkspurs, have their flowers constructed in nearly as curious a manner as those of the different kinds of Monkshood; but they differ in the sepals and petals both forming conspicuous parts of the flower, though they are generally quite distinct both in form and colour, and may be easily traced through all the different forms they assume in the various species. They are, however, perhaps most easily distin guished in the branching or autumnal Larkspur (Delphinium consolida). In the flower of this plant the spur (a in fig. 10) is the upper sepal of the calyx, and it serves as a cover to part of the petals. There are four other portions of the calyx (b), which assume the appearance of ordinary sepals. The petals are four in number;
Fig. 11.—Tap root of the Branching Larkspur. and they are united at the lower part, and drawn out into a sort of tail, as shown at c; while the upper part of two of them stands up like asses’ ears (d) in the centre of the flower; and the others are curiously folded, so as to form a hood over the stamens and carpels, as shown at e. The anthers of the stamens resemble those of the Ranunculus; but the filaments are bent, as shown at f. The carpels (g) are upright, hairy, and terminate in a blunt, fleshy stigma (h). When ripe, they open in the same manner as those of the Monkshood. The branching Larkspur has a fusiform or tap root, as shown in fig. 11, in which a is the collar, or as the Italians call it la noda vitale; and b the fibrous roots, through the points of which the plant takes up its food.
The flowers of the other kinds of Larkspur resemble this one in their general appearance, though they differ in the minor details. Those of the Rocket Larkspur (D. Ajacis) lose their spurs when they become double; and those of the Bee Larkspurs have their petals nearly black, and instead of standing up like ears, they are so curiously folded as to resemble a bee nestling in the centre of the flower.
THE GENUS AQUILEGIA.
The common Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) differs from all the flowers I have yet described in having the sepals and petals not only of the same colour, but so intermingled as to be scarcely distinguishable from each other. The flower (given on a reduced scale at a in fig. 12) is composed of five horn-shaped petals, which are curved at the upper end, and form a kind of coronet round the stem; and five oval sepals, which are placed alternately with them; all, generally speaking, being of the same colour. The horn-shaped petal, or nectary as it was called by Linnæus, is attached to the receptacle at the thickened rim (b), while the sepal is attached at the point (c); d shows the dis position of the stamens; e a separate stamen, with its adnate anther; f the inner row of stamens, which are produced without anthers, and with their filaments growing together, so as to form a thin membranaceous case for the carpels, which are shown exposed at g. The carpels, when ripe, become follicles. The leaf of the Columbine is bi-ternate; that is, it is cut into three large divisions, each of which is cut into three smaller ones; so that it is twice-ternate. The petiole or footstalk of the leaf sheaths the stem, as shown at h, where the leaf is represented on a reduced scale to suit the flower.
Fig. 12.—Flower and leaf of the Columbine.